Automatic nail-plate feeder



(No Model.) 2' sheetsr-Sheet l.

J. S.- STOTT. AUTOMATIC NAILPLATE FEEDER.

No. 358,231. Patentedfeb. 22, 1887 N. puns. Photn-Lithogra phnr. Waxhington. u. c.

(No Model.) 2 SheetS -Sheet 2.

J. S. STOTT AUTOMATIC NAIL PLATE FEEDER.

No. 358,231. Patented Feb. 22, 1887.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN S. STOTT, OF READING, PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIC NAIL-PLATE FEEDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 358,231, dated February 22, 1887.

Application filed January 25, 1886. Serial No. 189,717. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN S. Scrorr, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Reading, county of Berks, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Automatic Nail Feeders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates more particularly to the class of machines ordinarily used in nail factories.

The object of theinvention is to f nrnish ready for attachment to the ordinary han'doperated nail-cutting machines an apparatus which will take the place of the skilled operative, and which will automatically feed the nail-plate to the shear in the same manner that it is done by hand.

The improvement is simple in its parts, not liable to get out of order, is easily adjusted to any machine adapted thereto, and is inexpensive to construct.

The drawings herewith fully show my improvement in detail,enough of the machine being introduced to show the connection of the feeder bed.

elevation the cradle-piece for the reciprocatfeeder therewith. 1

Like letters of reference indicate like parts throughout.

Figure 1 is a-side elevation of an ordinary nail-machine with my automatic feeder attached. Fig. 2 is an end view of the machine. Fig.3 represents aplan of the automatic nail- Fig. 4 represents in plan and side ing nose-barrel cradle. Fig. 5 is a plan, side elevation, and end View of the cradle for the reception of the nose-barrel. Fig. 6 represehts the nosebarrel inside elevation and plan.

Fig. 7 represents the grip in front, side elevation, and plan. Fig. 8 represents the rocking yoke, lever-arm, and supporting-frame for giving a vertical movement to the cradle-piece, cradle, and nose-barrel. Fig. 9 represents in front elevation and plan the oscillating beltyoke by which a reciprocating semi-revolution is given to the nose-barrel; Fig. 10, an enlarged front and side elevation of the tension-pieces hinged to -the belt-yoke arms. Fig. 11 represents in plan and side elevation the hook-an-eye attachment of the belts to the nose-barrel.

In the drawings, A represents the bed of the nail-machine; A, caps to the main shaft; B, the legs of the machine; 0, the main shaft; 0, can] for operating the shear-lever O'Zcam for raising the cradle-piece and cradle and Withdrawing the nose of the barrel from the grip; D, a pinion outside of the bed; E, a

running in bearings E", a fly-wheel, F, equalizing the motion of the main shaft; E", a crankwheel on the extremity of the counter-shaft. The machine is driven from a pulley suitably placed upon the main shaft.

My invention comprises,in combination with a bracket, G, having a center setscrew, G, secured to the bed at the rear of the machine, a hinged bearing bracket-piece, H, at the front of the machine,secured to the bed by ascrew, H, and having an ear, H for a center screw, H and a hingepost, H

A horizontal shaft,I, provided with centers, is held beneath the bed upon the center screws, G and H, and has upon its rear outer end an arm, I", with huh I", and set-screw I, with a ball-seat head,l",and cap 1, and at the opposite end a belt-yoke, J, with hub J, set-screw J yoke J arms J*, center pivots, J and, suspended thereby, tension-pieces K, hinged at K to the arms Jihaving belt-hook Kflnotched recesses K*,bolt-sl0t K nuts K, and latches K.

A feeder-bed, L, is hinged at L to the post 11*, having a downward-projected ear, L with an adjusting angle-screw, L At the front it is provided with a check post, L*, checkscrew L and ears L, for the support upon pivot-screws L of the grip-piece. Said feeder- S of the cradle-piece R, and a spring, M, connected to the check-post. and having its free end connected with the pinching-arm of the b The belt-yoke J, secured adjustably to the shaft I, passes up through an opening, H in the bracket H. Upon the enlarged base of said bracket is supported a frame consisting of abase, N, and side posts, N, within which is hung a yoke, 0, having a central arm, 0, a link, 0', and compound link and lever 0 The upper end of the lever is provided with a se ries of holes, 0*, and is connected by a suitable rod, P, pin 1?, and nut l? to thetop of an shear-blades; G knocker for operating the gear-wheel upon the counter-shaft; E, shaft bed also 'hasaseat, L, for the supporting-arm I arm, Q, pivoted at its lower end in abearing, Q, secured to the bed of the machine. This lever in its normal condition lies against the cam 0 and has a vibratory motion given it by the revolution of the shaft C, which motion, by the rod 1, is transferred to the lever O and arm 0. A cradle-piece, It, by cars R, is supported upon the arm 0 of the yoke O by a pintle-bolt and at the opposite or front end it rests upon the piece S, bearing in seat If, and is removably secured thereto. Hingeears 1%, by a pintle-bolt, connects the cradlepiece with the cradle T, which is provided with a hinge-joint, T bearings T, cap T, and locking-pin or equivalent T. A rest, U, is provided for the nipper-rod.

The barrel V revolves freely in the bearings T, and the nose V is provided with the usual springs, V and clamps V. Collars Vserve to retain the barrel in place.

The grip-piece is composed of a vertical arm, IV, with a horizontal hub, IV, head V and projected seat W. The hub is supported in the ears L upon the pivot-screws L Upon the projected seat IV is pivoted the grip IV, having a pinching-arm, IV, the outer end of which is connected in a suitable manner, by rod and eyes \V, to the grip-arm, and by nut \V to avertical arm, X, pivoted against the inside of the bed at X, and which is given at the proper time a vibratory movement by a knocker, C T his motion,being transferred to the pinching-arm IV", causes the head W to grip the nipper-rod and at the same time to pull the grip-piece itself rearward by the rod V thus passing sufficient length of nail-plate within the shear to make the nail. As the grip-piece is drawn rearward the spring M, connected with the arm lV,is also pulled rearward, and the moment the k noekcr 0 passes by the arm X the resilience of the spring M returns the grip-piece in place ready for a repetition of the movement, the check-bolt L regulating the distance to which the barrel nose-piece shall be withdrawn from the shearblades.

The nose piece V of the barrel V is flattened and cored, so as freely to pass the size of nail-plate to be fed to the machine, and the springs V securely hold the plate until the grip operating forces the same beyond the ends of the springs a sufficient distance to allow for the production of the nail.

It is well understood that if the nail-plate were fed to the shear-blades without reversal the result would be a nail with parallel sides, whereas the nail should be of a regular taper in width from head to point. To obtain this result the barrel V is given a reciprocating semi-revolution in the cradle, alternatingwith the rearward movement of the nipper-rod and the reciprocating vertical movement of the rear end of the cradle-piece. The vertical movement is derived from the yoke-arm O, lever 0", rod P, arm Q, and cam C and the semi-reciprocating revolution from bands Y, hooks Y, and eyes Y, suitably secured to the barrel V upon opposite sides of the same, passing from one arm, J over the barrel and beneath the same, rising to and being secured to the barrel on its horizontal diametrical line, and from the opposite arm passing beneath the barrel, returning over the top, and descending to the same diametrical line, and similarly attached to the barrel.

The terminal ends of the belts or bands Y are connected with the tension-hooks K of the suspension-pieces K, and adjustable for tension by the threaded portion K and nuts K, the pieces K being held releasably in place by pins K and latches K The yoke receives its reciprocating vibratory motion from the arm I, which, by its ball-seat connection with the rod Z to the crank E, transfers the motion to the shaft I and the yoke J, and as the latter oscillates transversely across the bed it alternately pulls upon the belts Y by its connection with the tension-hooks K suspended from the arms J, and thus imparts a semi-rolative movement to the barrel.

The operation of the feederis as follows: A piece of nail-plate is secured in the nipper-rod and inserted in the barrel with its end projected beyond the nose-springs, and the ma chine started. As the main shaft 0 revolves, the cam 0 comes in contact with the leverarm of the movable shear-blade and, elevating the arm, depresses the blade, and the first cut is made. The shear is now elevated by the depression of the cam G and cam C in contact with arm Q, throws the same rearward. and by connection I lever O, and arm 0 elevates the end of the cradle-piece R, and with it the cradle T, nose-piece V, nail'plate, and nipper-rod, which, owing to the support of the cradle-piece at the front end upon the arm S, throws the nose and nail-plate away from the knife or shear. At the same moment the shaft I receives a reciprocating vibratory motion from the arm 1 connected by rod Z with the crank E, and throws the belt-yoke J to one side or the other, as arranged, which, by its belt-connection Y with the opposite diametrical points of the barrel V, reverses the position of the nail-plate relative to the shears. Then as the cradlepiece resumes its normal position of rest the grip \V V is brought into action by the knoeker 0 operating the arm X, rod and pinching-arm W, which, gripping the nipper-bar between the heads W \V, pulls the same toward the shear the requisite distance, the shear is brought into action, and the cut is then a taper uniform from head to point. The revolutions being continued, the plate will be cut alternately in uniform tapering widths, as is done by the ma chines which are hand-fed by operatives.

Being a practical nailer of many years experience, I am well aware of what has been successfully accomplished in this line of invention; but I believe my improvement to be a desirable departure from all prior automatic feeders in the positive attachment of the feeder,

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in the elimination of momentum, in the support of the nose-barrel, the vibratory semirevolution of the same, the adjustability and accessibility of the various parts, and the mode of constructing and operating the nipper-rod grip of the same.

'Ihe barrel-cradle 'I is hinged to the cradlepiece R, for the purpose of enabling the knives of the shears to be taken out and replaced for grinding or repairs without dismantling the entire automatic gear. The latches K are released from the tension pieces K, and the lower ends thrown out from the arms J which relaxes the tension upon the belts Y and permits the disengagement of the hooks Y from the eyes Y of the bands Y, when the barrel V, with its cradle T, is thrown around upon its hinge T into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, leaving the shear-blades entirely clear of obstruction from the feeder.

Having shown the construction, use, andadvantages of my improvement, I desire to secure by Letters Patent the following claims upon the same:

1. In combination with the bed of a nailmachine and its rear bracket-piece, G, having a pivotal screw, G, the front bracketpiece, H, provided With an opening, H ear H, pivotal screw H and hinge-posts H, secured by bolt H to the bed and suspended upon said pivotal screws, the shaft I, substantially as shown and described.

2. In combination with the front bracket, H, and its hinge-postH, as described, and pivoted thereto by joint L, the bed L, having a downward-projected arm, L with adjust ing-screw L at the end of the arm, a checkpost, L*, with adjusting-screw L at its frontend, a seat, L for the cradle-support S, ears L", and pivotal screws L for the support of the grip W, anda spring, M,secured to the face of the check-post with its free end in contact with the arm W? of the grip, all arranged, combined, and adapted to be adjusted vertically by the screw L substantially as shown, and for the purpose set forth.

3. In combination with the bracket H and bed L of-an automatic nail-feeder, as described, a cradle-piece, R, supported at its front end upon the arm S, seated upon the bed L, connected at the rear end by cars R, with a vibrating arm, 0, having ears R", within which is pivoted the hinge T of the cradle T, adapted to carry the nose-barrel V, a locking-pin, T, or its equivalent, releasably securing the eradie to the cradle-piece, a nipper-rod rest, U, at the forward end holding the same in line with the grip, the arm 0, with its lever 0 and frame N, suitably secured to the bracket H, the lever 0 by rod P, arm Q, and cam 0,

imparting a vertical vibratory motion by arm 0 to the rear end of the cradle-piece with cradle and nose-barrel thereon, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. I

4. In combination with the bracket, bed, cradle-piece, cradle, and nose-barrel of an automatic nail-feeder, as shown and described, a nipper-rod grip composed, essentially, of the following elements: an arm, W, with hub \V, head W and projected seat W supported upon the cradle-piece by pivotal screws L in ears L and having pivoted upon said projected seat a grip-head, W*, with arm W5, said head being held free of the nipper-rod by the spring M, connected therewith, and being drawn at proper intervals rearward by connections with arm X by rod W and knoeker O of main shaft 0, whereby the grip bites uponjthe nipper-rod and advances the same, with its nail-plate, through the barrel-nose springs V toward the shear, as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In combination with a shaft, I, supported in brackets G H by pivotal screws G H receiving through arm I rod Z, and crank E a reciprocating semi-revolution, ayoke, J, secured by hub J and screw J adjustably upon said shaft, having arms J and suspended therefrom on pins K, tension-pieces K, with hooks K adjusting-nuts K, and latches K connected to the barrel V by belts Y, hooks Y, and eyes Y whereby the semi-revolution of the shaft I transmits a transverse reciprocating motion to the nose-barrel, nail-plate, and nipper-rod, substantially as and for the purpose declared.

6. In combination with a nail-machine, an automatic nail-feeder consisting, essentially, of the following elements in combination: an adj ustable bed, L, hinged to bracket H, having check-post, check-screw, spring M, cradlesupport S, and grip W, with hub W, head NV", and grip WV, with arm WV cradle-piece R, cradle I,and nose-barrel V, all and severally deriving motion from rods P W, connected with arms Q and X by cam O and knocker G" of main shaft, and by shaft I, its arm 1, rod Z, and crank ll transmitting areciprocating semi-revolution to the yoke J, transferred by belts Y to the nose-barrel V, the whole combined, arranged, and adapted,as described, at suitable intervals to advance and withdraw the nailplate from the shear, to lift and reverse the nosebarrel with the plate and nipper-rod, and to automatically continue said operation, as and for the purpose'set forth.

JOHN S. STOTT.

Witnesses:

ll/IATIHIAS MENGEL, A. R. KOENIG.

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